Karnataka Elections 2023: Ahead of assembly elections next month, Congress veteran and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said that there is nothing wrong if healthy competition exists between him and state party chief DK Shivakumar for the CM's post.
In an interview with PTI, Siddaramaiah said, "Nothing is wrong if healthy competition exists. If DK Shivakumar wants to become CM and is an aspirant, there is nothing wrong. If I become an aspirant for the CM post, nothing is wrong. Ultimately newly-elected MLAs will decide, and the (Party) high command will take a decision.
Speaking over other matters, Siddaramaiah said, "See, it's just that caste is not an important factor in elections. The issues are important. Now the issues are corruption issues, anti-farmer issues, price rise issues, and unemployment, and there are many other issues also. People of Karnataka will not consider caste as an important factor. If anybody makes it an issue, people will not consider it."
"In 2013, there was a clear mandate for the Congress party. We did good work during our tenure between 2013 and 2018. They (BJP) made allegations against me that I am against the upper-class communities and I am against Hindutva/Hindu dharma. But it is not true. This time, the people will not believe their propaganda because they know there is no truth in their allegations," Siddaramaiah added.
The former CM further said, "No, it is not a fight between myself and (PM) Narendra Modi. The Karnataka elections should not be seen as a PM Modi-Siddaramaiah battle. It is an election to elect the state legislature, not to elect Parliament members. Local issues will decide the outcome of the upcoming assembly elections."
"The discussion is happening on streets that the BJP government is the most corrupt government because every day the people of Karnataka are experiencing corruption. If they go to the police station, if they go to Tahsildar Kacheri, if they go to offices like the agriculture office or any government offices, every day they experience it (corruption). So, they are fed up with this government. The people of Karnataka want to throw this big corrupt government out of power," Siddaramaiah added.
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